All Australian

I say just trade Brad to whoever gives us the best possible deal. It shouldn't just be limited to St Kilda, if Melbourne or the Bulldogs offer a better deal then deal with them. If nobody gives a good deal, then keep him.

Norm Smith Medallist

Anyone got a read or the inside word on how BHilly would likely react if we were to apply some Geelong-style trade posturing? I mean, is he the kind of bloke who would play the “i’ll sit on the sidelines for a year if I have to” card? Based on nothing at all, I’d say he wouldn’t but either way I want us to play this like Trump.

Three years after an inquiry into the impact of fly-in, fly-out lifestyle on workers’ wellbeing, with zero of 30 recommendations implemented, the WA government orders another study into the effects of FIFO on mental health. But as the death toll rises, what are we hoping to find out?

Club Legend

Empathy! ... Lyon and others spoke of it when questioned about BHill.
It would help if some here would try it, instead of just reacting to the hurt of losing BHill.
The guy has 3 premiership medals. He moved to Freo to play with his brother. And now when he wants to move away from Freo due to different family reasons and priorities, some here have a problem with that. If you pause and swap that selfish emotion of not wanting to lose BHill with another emotion of empathy, this situation isn't that complicated.

And Yep, I'm all in for Freo to get the best possible deal for Freo and we have a big card to play in the fact that BHill still has 2 years left on his contract ... not 1 but 2, meaning we don't have to make a deal this year.
BUT ... Empathy ... BHill wants out and AFL clubs in today's age need to show some concern and consideration to player welfare. If BHill requests a trade, then Freo simply needs to work hard to get the best deal done for us.
Does it really matter why BHill wants out? If there is something that Freo can do as a club to stop it or prevent it in the future then yes it matters, but this doesn't look like one of those situations. BHill wants out because his girlfriend wants to go home. Whether you care for that or not or do or don't believe it, doesn't change the situation. BHill has requested a trade and that is the reason given. Live with it. Get a good deal done and move on.

Purple Admiralty

Empathy! ... Lyon and others spoke of it when questioned about BHill.
It would help if some here would try it, instead of just reacting to the hurt of losing BHill.
The guy has 3 premiership medals. He moved to Freo to play with his brother. And now when he wants to move away from Freo due to different family reasons and priorities, some here have a problem with that. If you pause and swap that selfish emotion of not wanting to lose BHill with another emotion of empathy, this situation isn't that complicated.

And Yep, I'm all in for Freo to get the best possible deal for Freo and we have a big card to play in the fact that BHill still has 2 years left on his contract ... not 1 but 2, meaning we don't have to make a deal this year.
BUT ... Empathy ... BHill wants out and AFL clubs in today's age need to show some concern and consideration to player welfare. If BHill requests a trade, then Freo simply needs to work hard to get the best deal done for us.
Does it really matter why BHill wants out? If there is something that Freo can do as a club to stop it or prevent it in the future then yes it matters, but this doesn't look like one of those situations. BHill wants out because his girlfriend wants to go home. Whether you care for that or not or do or don't believe it, doesn't change the situation. BHill has requested a trade and that is the reason given. Live with it. Get a good deal done and move on.

Inclined to agree but it seems that AFL is big business with lots of money for many players that common folk just don't fully comprehend. Big money, like in corporate business appointments comes with a higher level of commitment, performance and sacrifice in carrying out the work. However,

your spot on regarding the empathy im pro op but perhaps there should be an expectation it comes back the other way to the club that will trade him on those grounds. One thing is for sure, we will hear of more and more BHill type situations in the years to come.

Brownlow Medallist

I'm not happy he wants to leave, and I do want the club to play hard-ball with the situation, as we did with Weller and Neale. It is quite reasonable given that he is part of the club's planning for another 2 years. It isn't up to us to get the deal right, it is up to Hill's manager and the destination club.

Norm Smith Medallist

Empathy! ... Lyon and others spoke of it when questioned about BHill.
It would help if some here would try it, instead of just reacting to the hurt of losing BHill.
The guy has 3 premiership medals. He moved to Freo to play with his brother. And now when he wants to move away from Freo due to different family reasons and priorities, some here have a problem with that. If you pause and swap that selfish emotion of not wanting to lose BHill with another emotion of empathy, this situation isn't that complicated.

And Yep, I'm all in for Freo to get the best possible deal for Freo and we have a big card to play in the fact that BHill still has 2 years left on his contract ... not 1 but 2, meaning we don't have to make a deal this year.
BUT ... Empathy ... BHill wants out and AFL clubs in today's age need to show some concern and consideration to player welfare. If BHill requests a trade, then Freo simply needs to work hard to get the best deal done for us.
Does it really matter why BHill wants out? If there is something that Freo can do as a club to stop it or prevent it in the future then yes it matters, but this doesn't look like one of those situations. BHill wants out because his girlfriend wants to go home. Whether you care for that or not or do or don't believe it, doesn't change the situation. BHill has requested a trade and that is the reason given. Live with it. Get a good deal done and move on.

Because if he is going to leave he is going to leave for the most money to benefit his situation.

I doubt he (or any player in his situation) really wants the club they are going to to give up too much in draft capital as it will effect their chances of playing in a successful team moving forward. Which is why Freo should stick to their guns and be prepared to hold him to his contract if we don't get overs.

Pick 6 is not overs. Pick 6 is not going to replace B.Hill's output for the next 2 years and may never get to his level.

Because every single player who moves these days does this regardless of why they are moving.

Every... single... player...

A player is courted by a team. That team offers them a package of salary, length of contract, off field endorsements and kick backs (all legit of course), job for their partner, fast track entry for their kids into a school etc... etc...

Every team with interest would do this and I think most of these conversations happen with or without the player throughout the year. Not officially though of course.

The player makes a choice of team. That players manager does what they can to fulfil the request.

I've said this before and I'll say it again. A players priorities in order are...

1. Their family and themselves
2. Their new club
3. Their old club

Imagine if Jesse Hogan had said last year that we had to up our offer to take better care of the Dee's?

Their chance to look after their current club begins when they sign an extension and ends when they agree to better terms somewhere else.

Brad Hill isn't losing out financially by moving to Victoria. Not by a long way. Tim Kelly isn't losing out moving back to WA. Lachie Neale didn't lose out moving to Brisbane. Weller didn't lose out moving to Gold Coast.

Club Legend

Given BHill wants to go back to Vic, Freo gets to pick the best trade on offer from any of those Vic based clubs who may want him.
Where I do get judgemental is if BHill says he doesn't want to go to Vic Team x who are offering Freo the best trade, because Vic Team y is offering BHill more money. Similar to Kelly wanting to come back to WA, he shouldn't get much of a say whether that is West Coast or Freo, it should be more about which team offers Geelong the best trade. Obviously the money and contract to BHill or Kelly still needs to be reasonable, but it shouldn't be allowed to drive and restrict trade options.
Neale wanting to go to Brisbane Lions was a trade that got done because it meant Freo was able to get Hogan.
Trading BHill to whoever may end up getting us Kelly. Pick 5 or equivalent is the minimum Freo should even look at ... and please not Acres ... he offers us nothing.

Having said all this, I'm not sure how much empathy I would have towards say a young Cerra if he had a blinder in 2020 and then requested a trade (based on homesickness or girlfriend wishes) to Vic Team X who were willing to pay him a ridiculous amount of coin and give us a late first round pick.
I think as Fyfe says, some players have earned the right to decide if they want to stay or not.

Given trades and player movements are becoming more common, I also wonder if clubs will look to heavily load the final year of a player’s contract. It’s probably the best way to retain players. Kind of like a loyalty bonus. If BHill was expecting twice as much in 2021 from his Freo contract than in 2019, I wonder how keen he would be to move and how keen other clubs would be to poach.

Rookie

Empathy! ... Lyon and others spoke of it when questioned about BHill.
It would help if some here would try it, instead of just reacting to the hurt of losing BHill.
The guy has 3 premiership medals. He moved to Freo to play with his brother. And now when he wants to move away from Freo due to different family reasons and priorities, some here have a problem with that. If you pause and swap that selfish emotion of not wanting to lose BHill with another emotion of empathy, this situation isn't that complicated.

And Yep, I'm all in for Freo to get the best possible deal for Freo and we have a big card to play in the fact that BHill still has 2 years left on his contract ... not 1 but 2, meaning we don't have to make a deal this year.
BUT ... Empathy ... BHill wants out and AFL clubs in today's age need to show some concern and consideration to player welfare. If BHill requests a trade, then Freo simply needs to work hard to get the best deal done for us.
Does it really matter why BHill wants out? If there is something that Freo can do as a club to stop it or prevent it in the future then yes it matters, but this doesn't look like one of those situations. BHill wants out because his girlfriend wants to go home. Whether you care for that or not or do or don't believe it, doesn't change the situation. BHill has requested a trade and that is the reason given. Live with it. Get a good deal done and move on.

He had a front loaded contract. Freo will need decent compensation or we hold him to it. It’s that simple. It the same as Geelong last year, Hill with not as good a reason to leave. 5 plus fruit or he stays.

Rookie

He had a front loaded contract. Freo will need decent compensation or we hold him to it. It’s that simple. It the same as Geelong last year, Hill with not as good a reason to leave. 5 plus fruit or he stays.

I'm very disappointed and frustrated that he's leaving, but f**k it's cringe how people actually think everyone leaves this club for money. Just use commonsense, do you actually think freo would let him walk if it was about money? We have money, Hill is extremely important to us, fairly obvious we'd happily give him the money.

Moderator

Empathy! ... Lyon and others spoke of it when questioned about BHill.
It would help if some here would try it, instead of just reacting to the hurt of losing BHill.
The guy has 3 premiership medals. He moved to Freo to play with his brother. And now when he wants to move away from Freo due to different family reasons and priorities, some here have a problem with that. If you pause and swap that selfish emotion of not wanting to lose BHill with another emotion of empathy, this situation isn't that complicated.

And Yep, I'm all in for Freo to get the best possible deal for Freo and we have a big card to play in the fact that BHill still has 2 years left on his contract ... not 1 but 2, meaning we don't have to make a deal this year.
BUT ... Empathy ... BHill wants out and AFL clubs in today's age need to show some concern and consideration to player welfare. If BHill requests a trade, then Freo simply needs to work hard to get the best deal done for us.
Does it really matter why BHill wants out? If there is something that Freo can do as a club to stop it or prevent it in the future then yes it matters, but this doesn't look like one of those situations. BHill wants out because his girlfriend wants to go home. Whether you care for that or not or do or don't believe it, doesn't change the situation. BHill has requested a trade and that is the reason given. Live with it. Get a good deal done and move on.

Yeah I don’t really agree with this to be honest. The bloke signed a contract committing himself to his employer for an agreed period of time and is being very well compensated for the value he adds. Expecting empathy because his girlfriend has decided she would rather live in one first world city than another is I think a bit of a stretch.

I actually hope the club takes a tough stance and holds a best interests of the club as the priority line through negotiations. If a deal that’s suitable for the club can’t be found the hold the bloke accountable to the contract he committed to...

Norm Smith Medallist

I'm very disappointed and frustrated that he's leaving, but f**k it's cringe how people actually think everyone leaves this club for money. Just use commonsense, do you actually think freo would let him walk if it was about money? We have money, Hill is extremely important to us, fairly obvious we'd happily give him the money.

It's bordering on pathetic that we refuse to think that maybe the player wants to leave for the wellbeing/happiness of himself or a loved one. Now I'm not suggesting we bend over and allow players to leave during contract but posters calling him a Mummas Boy or saying his partner should stay because he is the bread winner is well past its use-by date. If she is genuinely unhappy in Perth that would put a tremendous amount of pressure on Hill and he has ultimately chosen his partner over his employer, I would do the same and would hope most if not all would as well.

Lets hope the club gets the best and right deal and maybe leave the s**t remarks about him being a mercenary or a Mummas Boy to the side.

Moderator

I'm very disappointed and frustrated that he's leaving, but f**k it's cringe how people actually think everyone leaves this club for money. Just use commonsense, do you actually think freo would let him walk if it was about money? We have money, Hill is extremely important to us, fairly obvious we'd happily give him the money.

Brownlow Medallist

I'm very disappointed and frustrated that he's leaving, but f**k it's cringe how people actually think everyone leaves this club for money. Just use commonsense, do you actually think freo would let him walk if it was about money? We have money, Hill is extremely important to us, fairly obvious we'd happily give him the money.

Norm Smith Medallist

I'm very disappointed and frustrated that he's leaving, but f**k it's cringe how people actually think everyone leaves this club for money. Just use commonsense, do you actually think freo would let him walk if it was about money? We have money, Hill is extremely important to us, fairly obvious we'd happily give him the money.

He already has money, it was a front ended contract. A 2.5M over 5 year contract could be like
700K, 700K, 500K, 300K, 300K - which means he already has 1.9M over 3 years (633K) so he goes lets get a new front loaded contract at 800K a year. Great for him but why should we give up more money when he has been dually compensated already?

Moderator

He already has money, it was a front ended contract. A 2.5M over 5 year contract could be like
700K, 700K, 500K, 300K, 300K - which means he already has 1.9M over 3 years (633K) so he goes lets get a new front loaded contract at 800K a year. Great for him but why should we give up more money when he has been dually compensated already?